System administrators typically perform procedures, for example, backups and data replication, in order to maintain a storage system. Although the capacity and complexity of storage systems are growing, the opportunity to perform such administrative procedures is decreasing. Accordingly, system administrators face difficulties completing overall administrative procedures without affecting the performance of the system. As a result, system administrators sometimes perform incremental backups.
Known techniques for performing incremental backups utilize application specific techniques. Application specific techniques, however are not flexible. Accordingly, these known techniques are not effective and efficient in certain situations. It is generally desirable to be effective and efficient in certain situations.